You may only know on-screen villainous side of TV and cinema’s favorite bad man, Shamoon Abbasi, but you may not be aware that he has got great passion for the film making.
One of his latest ventures is the series of six short films, written and directed by him. Three of these short films are released on the internet and available to watch for free on YouTube. The other three will be released soon.
The films are stunning and treat to watch, as from plot to direction, editing and acting, everything is remarkable. The technical aspects of the movies highly impressed us, as after talking to Shamoon Abbasi it got into our knowledge that these movies have been made with the latest equipment and tools and that too for the very first time in Pakistan.
There is a skilled and passionate team behind the project. The films have flaws of their own, but they need appreciation for the fact that these are made with limited resources and in very short duration of 3 days per film (whoa!).
Here is the brief account of what these films are about and what do they offer. Watch the films in the links below and share your feedback in the comment box.
Qasaab
The first of the six short films is ‘Qasaab’ (Butcher), which was previewed in New York Film Academy. It stars Irfan Mottiwala and HUM Award winner Suhaib Khalid.
The 13-minute short film is based on the true events of terrorism in Baluchistan and pays a tribute to the people who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks. In just 13 minutes the film had so much to offer that I, genuinely, wanted it to be for an hour at least.
Shamoon Abbasi chose a very bold topic for the short film, which very few filmmakers would dare to touch upon in a film. The film helps people be aware of some of the hard realities of our society.
“Qassab means qassai (butcher), but the term has been used to refer to the terrorism which is escalating everyday in Pakistan,” Shamoon Abbasi revealed the reason behind naming the film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh-UdkshOD4
Zinda: The Living Souls
The second short film titled ‘Zinda: The Living Souls’ is an action thriller starring the talented TV actor Humayun Ashraf. It was previewed at Cyberia VR Film Festival, San Francisco last year.
The 24-minute short film pays tribute to the armed forces of Pakistan and shows the hardships faced by the armed men defending our country. It shows the heart wrenching picture of what happens during war and how our fighting men remain steadfast and focused during the period of turmoil.
The direction is splendid and editing is sharp. It depicts the emotional journey of soldiers very well, for which the director needs the huge applause.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpa1cyw047c
Mey Rahungi
The third and most recently released short film is ‘Mey Rahungi’, which is a tribute to the women of the world. The film is made with a purpose of promoting self defense among women in Pakistan, as Shamoon Abbasi told that it is going to be part of self defense training videos for girls by various NGOS.
What a power pack performance by Sherry Shah, the 30-minute short film is truly an inspiration for women. It highlights the strengths and capabilities of women and, at the same time, has a very sensitive plot showing how women are manipulated in patriarchal society.
Shamoon Abbasi revealed that Sherry took proper martial arts training and kick boxing sessions for the film to give realistic and energetic action shots. The starting sequence of the movie, especially, will spell bound the viewers with its mesmerizing sea view at the sunset perfectly captured with a dolly shot.
We can bet that after watching this powerful short movie all women out there will feel a spark of energy running in them!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9XyFU5LPCQ
In the end there is a strong motivational message by Shamoon Abbasi for the filmmakers. He says, “Do not make it difficult to make films, let people come up who have talents whether it be actors or directors, it is high time we needed to revive our cinema not just be making films on the old typical story lines! Show your diversity and come up with strong inspirational plots.”
We could not agree more with him!
Edited by Zeeshan Mahmood.
